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METABOLITE OF LEUCINE WORKS IN TANDEM TO REPAIR AND PRESERVE MUSCLE TISSUE

NEW EVIDENCE LINKING HMB TO IMPROVED RECOVERY CONTINUES TO COME TO LIGHT. Many people say your training is only as good as your recovery. If you don’t fully recover, progressive increases in overreaching set in and over time your body will start fighting back and breaking down. But if you don’t train hard, your body will have no reason to grow!

A recent study was published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition that examined the impact of combining HMB and a carbohydrate source to whey protein (Kraemer et al. 2015). HMB continues to garner interest from sports scientists for its ability to help promote recovery. In this study, the authors recruited study participants who supplemented for two weeks prior, during and for three days following the intense resistance exercise protocol.

In one phase, they ingested approximately 20 grams of whey protein and in the other condition they ingested a recovery drink that contained an identical amount of protein, but also contained HMB and isomaltose, a form of carbohydrate. The participants trained hard for three consecutive days using heavy weights. When HMB and isomaltose were added, creatine kinase, interleukin-6 levels and muscle soreness were all significantly reduced while lower-body power was greater. The authors concluded that adding HMB and isomaltose to whey protein may help promote recovery.